THE COURIER / Joshua Mashon
The Westside Church of Christ “We Care We Serve” ministry recently painted the caboose at the park across from the Depot. “The Caboose needed a facelift and we felt like this would be a great volunteer opportunity for some of our members to help out the Main Street Russellville organization. We love Russellville and are glad to serve our community,” said one member of the group. The ministry group also wishes to acknowledge some of the local companies that provided discounts on materials for the project. They include Larry White Painting, Ridout Lumber, Sherwin Williams, Leonard’s Hardware, RGC Glass Company and Thompson’s Industries. Others providing donations are C&D Drug Store, Russellville Lawn and Landscaping, Dick Goodman, Tracey Taylor, Mike Cooper, John Newton, Humphrey Funeral Home, Dixon Poultry and The Nicholson Group. The mission of the We Care - We Serve ministry at Westside Church of Christ is to serve the Lord by serving others. Pictured are Dr. Michael Cooper (left), Jim Bob Humphrey, Keith Thomas, Craig Davis, Glenn Holmes, Kent Bullard and Jamie Sorrells.

The 20th annual Downtown Fall Festival and Chili cookoff will be Saturday on the streets of historic downtown Russellville.

Fall Fest — as it’s known locally — originated as a fundraiser for the Main Street Russellville program. Since its inception in 1992, it has grown into something akin to a community reunion and harvest homecoming event, organizers said. The festival on the last Saturday in October each year begins its schedule at 6:30 a.m. and concludes at 5 p.m.

“The day will be filled with music, food and family fun featuring 94 arts and crafts and exhibitor booths,” Betsy McGuire, executive director of Main Street Russellville, said. “This day-long celebration hearkens back to the ‘good old days’ when carnivals set up on the streets of downtown Russellville, and the entire community turned out for the event.”

Regular events and features include arts and crafts, a car and truck show, canine capers dog show, children’s costume contest, CASI-sanctioned chili cookoff, commercial exhibitors and food vendors, Friends of the Depot omelet breakfast, nonprofit organization exhibitors and commercial food vendors, old fashioned pie contest, political parties and candidates, Tour de Pumpkin bike ride, 5K run and 1K kids fun run. A children’s game midway, hosted by Central Presbyterian Church, will also be set up for the day.

Early set-up is from 6-8 p.m. Friday. All exhibits must be set up by 8 a.m. and remain until 5 p.m. Saturday. The streets will be closed to all vehicle traffic at 8 a.m. and will not re-open until after 5 p.m.

An information desk is located inside the Depot at 320 W. C St. (at the intersection of W. C St. and N. Denver Ave.), and an attendant will be present to direct registered participants to their assigned space.